Growing Warm Season Veggies

Late May to mid June is the time to plant the majority of veggies in your garden. By this time, the soil will have warmed up enough to stimulate root and shoot emergence from a seed or allow root growth from a transplant.

Beets, beans, summer and winter squash, cucumber and pumpkinare veggies that can be purchased as plants or seeded directly into the garden. Whether you decide to direct seed or plant transplants is your choice. Many gardeners find planting transplants easier, but direct seeding is cheaper. If you choose to direct seed, sow in a shallow row. Another method that I like to use with large crops such as squashes and pumpkins is to mound up the soil in a circle about 2 – 3 feet wide and plant the seeds in the mound. Try growing scarlet runner beans up a teepee of bamboo stakes.

Vegetables that Grow Best as Transplants

Peppers, tomatoes, okra, eggplant and fruits such as melons must be planted as transplants, since our growing season is not long enough to germinate seeds in outdoor soil conditions. Tomatoes can be planted up to the second set of leaves and roots will form down the buried stem. They should be staked or caged to keep the plants from falling over. Herbs such as basil, parsley, coriander, rosemary, and dill can also be planted now. Add them to your veggie garden or plant in amongst flowers.

Of course, you can still plant cool season veggies such as onions, leeks, broccoli, cabbage, kale, lettuce and swiss chard now. Many people leave all the planting until now and do it all at once. If you are short on space in the garden, consider planting veggies in containers – most veggies can be successfully grown this way!